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LOT DIMENSIONS

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances tit. 20, ch. 540, art. VIII
in effect

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 540.700 Purpose.

540.700. - Purpose. Minimum lot dimension regulations are established to ensure that sufficient area is provided to meet the functional needs of different land uses and to reinforce existing or planned development patterns in each built form overlay district. Maximum lot area regulations are established to work in conjunction with other built form regulations to limit the scale of new development in a manner consistent with the intent of individual built form overlay districts.

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 540.710 Minimum lot area.

540.710. - Minimum lot area. Lot area provided for an existing structure or use shall not be reduced below, or further reduced if already less than, the minimum requirements of the zoning code for equivalent new construction. No minimum lot area allocated to any structure or use shall be used to satisfy minimum lot area requirements for any other structure or use.

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 540.720 Specific minimum and maximum lot dimension requirements.

540.720. - Specific minimum and maximum lot dimension requirements. (a) In general. Minimum and maximum lot dimension requirements shall be as set forth in Table 540-15, Lot Dimension Requirements. The requirements of Table 540-16, Minimum Lot Dimension Requirements by Built Form Overlay District and Table 540-17, Maximum Lot Area Requirements by Built Form Overlay District only apply when indicated in Table 540-15, Lot Dimension Requirements. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize uses not otherwise allowed in a primary zoning district as set forth in Table 545-1, Uses Allowed. All primary zoning districts are included in the table for each use category to clarify lot dimension requirements for any legal nonconforming uses. (b) Abbreviations. For purposes of Table 540-15, Lot Dimension Requirements, "sq. ft." shall mean square feet, "ft." shall mean feet, and "CUP" shall mean conditional use permit. (c) Planned unit developments. The minimum lot area for planned unit developments shall be one-half (½) acre, except as otherwise authorized by this zoning ordinance. Maximum lot area for planned unit developments shall be determined by conditional use permit. (d) Mixed-use developments. Notwithstanding Table 540-15, Lot Dimension Requirements, residential uses as part of a mixed-use development with both residential and nonresidential uses shall not be subject to minimum lot area requirements except for any minimum lot area required for the nonresidential use. Table 540-15 Lot Dimension Requirements Uses | Primary Zoning District | Minimum Lot Dimensions | Maximum Lot Area Area | Width COMMERCIAL Bulk Goods and Heavy Equipment Sales | Production districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 All other districts | 1 acre | None | See Table 540-17 Commercial Agriculture (except as noted below) | All districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Market gardens | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Commercial Recreation and Assembly (except as noted below) | All districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Amphitheater | All districts | ½ acre | None | See Table 540-17 Indoor recreation area | Residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Outdoor recreation area | Residential mixed-use districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Food and Beverages | Residential mixed-use districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 General Retail Sales and Services | Residential mixed-use districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 High-Impact Commercial | All districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Lodging (except as noted below) | All districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Bed and breakfast home | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17 Hospitality residence | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | 80 ft. | See Table 540-17 Medical Facilities (except as noted below) | Residential mixed-use districts | 4,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Hospitals | Residential mixed-use districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Office | Residential mixed-use districts | 4,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Sexually Oriented Uses | All districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 INSTITUTIONAL AND CIVIC Community services (except as noted below) | UN1 and UN2 Districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | None UN3 District or residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None Cemetery | All districts | 80 acres | None | None Child care center | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 4,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None Community center | UN1 and UN2 Districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | None UN3 District or residential mixed-use districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None Community garden | All districts | None | None | None Educational Facilities (except as noted below) | UN1 and UN2 Districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | None UN3 District or residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None College or university | All districts | 2 acres | None | None Parks and Public Open Spaces | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None Recreational Facilities | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None Social and Cultural Assembly (except as noted below) | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 20,000 sq. ft. | None | None All other districts | None | None | None Convent, monastery or religious retreat center | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | None Religious place of assembly | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | None PRODUCTION Lower-Impact Production and Processing (except as noted below) | Production districts | None | None | None All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Artist studio | Residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Moderate-Impact Production and Processing | Production districts | None | None | None All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 High-Impact Production and Processing | Production districts | 1 acre | None | None All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Post-Consumer Waste Processing | Production districts | None | None | None All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 Warehousing and Storage | Production districts | None | None | None All other districts | None | None | See Table 540-17 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES | All districts | As determined by CUP | As determined by CUP | As determined by CUP RESIDENTIAL Cluster Developments | Urban neighborhood districts | 5,000 sq. ft. 1 | 40 ft. | As determined by CUP All other districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | As determined by CUP Congregate Living (except as noted below) | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Community correctional facility | All districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Dormitory | All districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Emergency shelter | UN1 District | Not less than 750 sq. ft./bed | None | See Table 540-17 UN2 and RM1 Districts | Not less than 325 sq. ft./bed | None | See Table 540-17 All other districts | As determined by CUP | None | See Table 540-17 Fraternity or sorority | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17 Intentional community | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17 Residential hospice | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 10,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Single room occupancy | All districts | See Table 540-16 | See Table 540-16 | See Table 540-17 State credentialed care facility serving six (6) or fewer persons | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | 8,999 sq. ft. State credentialed care facility serving seven (7) to sixteen (16) persons | All districts | See Table 540-16 | See Table 540-16 | See Table 540-17 State credentialed care facility serving seventeen (17) or greater persons | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17, except board and care home, nursing home, and assisted living uses shall be exempt from maximum lot area requirements Supportive housing | Urban neighborhood districts and RM1 District | 10,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17 All other districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17 Dwellings (as noted below) Single-, two- or three-family dwelling | Urban neighborhood and residential mixed-use districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | 8,999 sq. ft. All other districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Multiple-family dwelling, four (4) units or more | All districts | See Table 540-16, except where a greater requirement applies in the SH Shoreland Overlay District | See Table 540-16, except where a greater requirement applies in the SH Shoreland Overlay District | See Table 540-17 Common lot development | Urban neighborhood districts | 5,000 sq. ft. 1 | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17, except the maximum shall be 8,999 sq. ft. when no more than three (3) dwelling units are proposed 1 All other districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17, except the maximum shall be 8,999 sq. ft. when no more than three (3) dwelling units are proposed TRANSPORTATION, VEHICLE SERVICES, AND PARKING Automobile Services | All districts | 14,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Industrial Transportation Services | All districts | 12,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Principal Parking (except as noted below) | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 40 ft. | See Table 540-17 Off-site parking lots serving multiple-family residential uses and congregate living uses | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 50 ft. | See Table 540-17 Off-site parking lots serving institutional and civic uses | All districts | 5,000 sq. ft. | 50 ft. | See Table 540-17 Vehicle Fleet-Oriented Services | All districts | 12,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 Vehicle Storage | All districts | 12,000 sq. ft. | None | See Table 540-17 1 Or in Interior 1 and Interior 2 built form overlay districts, a minimum lot area per principal structure of the average of the single-, two-, and three-family zoning lots located in whole or in part within three hundred fifty (350) feet, where the average lot area is nine thousand (9,000) square feet or more. Where a greater minimum lot area requirement applies, the maximum lot area requirement per principal structure shall be one hundred thirty (130) percent of said average minimum lot area. Table 540-16 Minimum Lot Dimension Requirements by Built Form Overlay District Built Form Overlay District | Minimum Lot Area (Square Feet) | Minimum Lot Width (Feet) Interior 1 | 9,000 | 50 Interior 2 | 7,500 | 50 Interior 3 | 5,000 | 40 Corridor 3 | 5,000 | 40 Corridor 4 | 5,000 | 40 Corridor 6 | 5,000 | 40 All other built form overlay districts | 5,000 | 40 Table 540-17 Maximum Lot Area Requirements by Built Form Overlay District Built Form Overlay District | Maximum Lot Area (Square Feet) Interior 1 | 14,000 Interior 2 | 14,000 Interior 3 | 18,000 Corridor 3 | 28,000 Corridor 4 | 28,000 Corridor 6 | 43,560 (one acre) All other built form overlay districts | None

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 540.730 Conflicting minimum and maximum lot area.

540.730. - Conflicting minimum and maximum lot area. In the event that a minimum lot area requirement of an allowed use exceeds the maximum lot area requirement of a built form overlay district, the maximum lot area requirement shall be one hundred thirty (130) percent of the minimum lot area.

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 540.740 Zoning lots nonconforming as to maximum lot area.

540.740. - Zoning lots nonconforming as to maximum lot area. (a) In general. Existing zoning lots nonconforming as to the maximum lot area shall have all of the rights of a conforming lot, except as otherwise provided in this section. (b) Single-, two-, and three-family dwellings. Where allowed as a permitted or conditional use, single-, two-, and three-family dwellings shall be allowed on existing lots nonconforming as to the maximum lot area. (c) Residential uses with four (4) or more units. New development that includes four (4) or more residential units on a zoning lot that exceeds the maximum permitted lot area may only be developed as a cluster development, common lot development or planned unit development. The maximum permitted lot area in a cluster development or planned unit development shall be determined by conditional use permit. The maximum permitted lot area in a common lot development shall not exceed the district maximum by more than thirty (30) percent. Reuse of a residential structure existing on the effective date of the ordinance, for a permitted or conditional use with four (4) or more residential units, and additions to such structures, shall be allowed on an existing zoning lot that exceeds the maximum permitted lot area and shall not require an application for a cluster development or planned unit development. (d) Authorized variance of maximum lot area. Any person having a legal or equitable interest in a property may file an application for a variance to increase the maximum lot area by up to thirty (30) percent, as provided in Chapter 525, Administration and Procedures. Existing lots that exceed the maximum permitted lot area may only be increased by variance up to thirty (30) percent above the district maximum. Existing lots that exceed the maximum lot area by more than thirty (30) percent shall not be eligible to further expand the lot by variance.
Source: City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Park and Recreation Board Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MICOOR_TIT20ZOCO_CH540BUFOOVDI_ARTVIIILODIFetched: 11/2/2026

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